Applied psychology

Last updated

Applied psychology is the use of psychological methods and findings of scientific psychology to solve practical problems of human and animal behavior and experience. Educational and organizational psychology, business management, law, health, product design, ergonomics, behavioural psychology, psychology of motivation, psychoanalysis, neuropsychology, psychiatry and mental health are just a few of the areas that have been influenced by the application of psychological principles and scientific findings. Some of the areas of applied psychology include counseling psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, engineering psychology, occupational health psychology, legal psychology, school psychology, sports psychology, community psychology, neuropsychology, medical psychology and clinical psychology, evolutionary psychology, human factors, forensic psychology and traffic psychology. In addition, a number of specialized areas in the general area of psychology have applied branches (e.g., applied social psychology, applied cognitive psychology). However, the lines between sub-branch specializations and major applied psychology categories are often mixed or in some cases blurred. For example, a human factors psychologist might use a cognitive psychology theory. This could be described as human factor psychology or as applied cognitive psychology. When applied psychology is used in the treatment of behavioral disorders there are many experimental approaches to try and treat an individual. This type of psychology can be found in many of the subbranches in other fields of psychology.

Contents

History

Photo of Hugo Munsterberg Photo of Hugo Munsterberg.jpg
Photo of Hugo Münsterberg

The founder of applied psychology was Hugo Münsterberg. He came to America (Harvard) from Germany (Berlin, Laboratory of Stern), invited by William James, and, like many aspiring psychologists during the late 19th century, originally studied philosophy. Münsterberg had many interests in the field of psychology such as purposive psychology, social psychology and forensic psychology. Hugo Münsterberg is credited with being one of the first people who has researched the field of applied psychology. He went to the University of Leipzig in Germany and attained his doctorate in Medicine. He opened the second psychology clinic in Germany in 1891 where he has continued his research. [1] In 1907 he wrote several magazine articles concerning legal aspects of testimony, confessions and courtroom procedures, which eventually developed into his book, On the Witness Stand. The following year the Division of Applied Psychology was adjoined to the Harvard Psychological Laboratory. Within 9 years he had contributed eight books in English, applying psychology to education, industrial efficiency, business and teaching. Eventually Hugo Münsterberg and his contributions would define him as the creator of applied psychology. In 1920, the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) was founded, as the first international scholarly society within the field of psychology.

Most professional psychologists in the U.S. worked in an academic setting until World War II. But during the war, the armed forces and the Office of Strategic Services hired psychologists in droves to work on issues such as troop morale and propaganda design. [2] After the war, psychologists found an expanding range of jobs outside of the academy. [3] Since 1970, the number of college graduates with degrees in psychology has more than doubled, from 33,679 to 76,671 in 2002. The annual numbers of masters' and PhD degrees have also increased dramatically over the same period. All the while, degrees in the related fields of economics, sociology, and political science have remained constant. [4]

Professional organizations have organized special events and meetings to promote the idea of applied psychology. In 1990, the American Psychological Society held a Behavioral Science Summit and formed the "Human Capital Initiative", spanning schools, workplace productivity, drugs, violence, and community health. The American Psychological Association declared 2000–2010 the Decade of Behavior, with a similarly broad scope. [4] Psychological methods are considered applicable to all aspects of human life and society. [5]

Uses

There are many uses of applied psychology and can be found as a subfield in other genres of psychology. Applied Psychology has been used in teaching psychology because it focuses on the scientific findings and how it can be used to transfer that behavior. [6]  Many people who use applied psychology work in the fields of teaching, industrial, clinical, and consulting work areas. [7] The Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology delves deeper into the many subsections that are used in correlation with this field and further explains the procedures that should be used in each of the respective industries. [8]

Advertising

Digital advertisements shown at Picadilly Circus, London at night Picadilly Circus London by night 2006.jpg
Digital advertisements shown at Picadilly Circus, London at night

Business advertisers have long consulted psychologists in assessing what types of messages will most effectively induce a person to buy a particular product. The three main types of psychologists that participate in creating advertisements are cognitive, media, and social psychologists. These psychologists often work together to create advertisements that create an emotional impact on the viewer in order to make the advertisement more memorable. Using the psychological research methods and the findings in human's cognition, motivation, attitudes and decision making, those can help to design more persuasive advertisement. Their research includes the study of unconscious influences and brand loyalty. [9] However, the effect of unconscious influences was controversial. [10] The use of these psychologists often create successful advertisements with the scientific methods that are used to portray violence, humor and sex. [11]

Educational

Educational psychology is devoted to the study of how humans learn in educational settings, especially schools. Psychologists assess the effects of specific educational interventions: e.g., phonics versus whole language instruction in early reading attainment. They also study the question of why learning occurs differently in different situations. [9]

Another domain of educational psychology is the psychology of teaching. In some colleges, educational psychology courses are called "the psychology of learning and teaching". Educational psychology derives a great deal from basic-science disciplines within psychology including cognitive science and behaviorially-oriented research on learning.

Counseling

Counseling psychology is an applied specialization within psychology, that involves both research and practice in a number of different areas or domains. According to Gelso and Fretz (2001), there are some central unifying themes among counseling psychologists. These include a focus on an individual's strengths, relationships, their educational and career development, as well as a focus on normal personalities. [12] Counseling psychologists help people improve their well-being, reduce and manage stress, and improve overall functioning in their lives. The interventions used by Counseling Psychologists may be either brief or long-term in duration. Often they are problem focused and goal-directed. There is a guiding philosophy which places a value on individual differences and an emphasis on "prevention, development, and adjustment across the life-span." [13] The use of applied psychology in counseling is one of the most useful when it comes to the treatment of individuals. The use of knowledge from scientific findings are beneficial because there are many different options that can be tested to find the right treatment. [14]

Medical and clinical

Medical psychology

Medical psychology involves the application of a range of psychological principles, theories and findings applied to the effective management of physical and mental disorders to improve the psychological and physical health of the patient. The American Psychological Association defines medical psychology as the branch of psychology that integrates somatic and psychotherapeutic modalities, into the management of mental illness, health rehabilitation and emotional, cognitive, behavioural and substance use disorders. According to Muse and Moore (2012), the medical psychologist's contributions in the areas of psychopharmacology which sets it apart from other of psychotherapy and psychotherapists. [15]

Clinical psychology

Clinical psychology includes the study and application of psychology for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. [16] Central to its practice are psychological assessment and psychotherapy, although clinical psychologists may also engage in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration. [17] Some clinical psychologists may focus on the clinical management of patients with brain injury—this area is known as clinical neuropsychology. In many countries clinical psychology is a regulated mental health profession.

The work performed by clinical psychologists tends to be done inside various therapy models, all of which involve a formal relationship between professional and client—usually an individual, couple, family, or small group—that employs a set of procedures intended to form a therapeutic alliance, explore the nature of psychological problems, and encourage new ways of thinking, feeling, or behaving. The four major perspectives are psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, existential-humanistic, and systems or family therapy. There has been a growing movement to integrate these various therapeutic approaches, especially with an increased understanding of issues regarding ethnicity, gender, spirituality, and sexual-orientation. With the advent of more robust research findings regarding psychotherapy, there is growing evidence that most of the major therapies are about of equal effectiveness, with the key common element being a strong therapeutic alliance. [18] [19] Because of this, more training programs and psychologists are now adopting an eclectic therapeutic orientation.

Clinical psychologists do not usually prescribe medication, although there is a growing number of psychologists who do have prescribing privileges, in the field of medical psychology. [20] In general, however, when medication is warranted many psychologists will work in cooperation with psychiatrists so that clients get therapeutic needs met. [17] Clinical psychologists may also work as part of a team with other professionals, such as social workers and nutritionists.

Environmental

Environmental psychology is the psychological study of humans and their interactions with their environments. The types of environments studied are limitless, ranging from homes, offices, classrooms, factories, nature, and so on. However, across these different environments, there are several common themes of study that emerge within each one. Noise level and ambient temperature are clearly present in all environments and often subjects of discussion for environmental psychologists. [21] Crowding and stressors are a few other aspects of environments studied by this sub-discipline of psychology. [22] When examining a particular environment, environmental psychology looks at the goals and purposes of the people in the using the environment, and tries to determine how well the environment is suiting the needs of the people using it. For example, a quiet environment is necessary for a classroom of students taking a test, but would not be needed or expected on a farm full of animals. [23] The concepts and trends learned through environmental psychology can be used when setting up or rearranging spaces so that the space will best perform its intended function. The top common, more well known areas of psychology that drive this applied field include: cognitive, perception, learning, and social psychology.

Forensic psychology and legal psychology are the areas concerned with the application of psychological methods and principles to legal questions and issues. Most typically, forensic psychology involves a clinical analysis of a particular individual and an assessment of some specific psycho-legal question. The psycho-legal question does not have to be criminal in nature. Forensic psychologists rarely get involved in the actual criminal investigations, [24] which falls under a broader category of applied psychology called criminal psychology. Custody cases are an example of non-criminal evaluations by forensic psychologists. [25] The validity and upholding of eyewitness testimony is an area of forensic psychology that does veer closer to criminal investigations, though does not directly involve the psychologist in the investigation process. Psychologists are often called to testify as expert witnesses on issues such as the accuracy of memory, the reliability of police interrogation, and the appropriate course of action in child custody cases. [26]

Legal psychology refers to any application of psychological principles, methods or understanding to legal questions or issues. In addition to the applied practices, legal psychology also includes academic or empirical research on topics involving the relationship of law to human mental processes and behavior. However, inherent differences that arise when placing psychology in the legal context. [27] Psychology rarely makes absolute statements. Instead, psychologists traffic in the terms like level of confidence, percentages, and significance. Legal matters, on the other hand, look for absolutes: guilty or not guilty. This makes for a sticky union between psychology and the legal system. Some universities operate dual JD/PhD programs focusing on the intersection of these two areas. [26]

The Committee on Legal Issues of the American Psychological Association is known to file amicus curae briefs, as applications of psychological knowledge to high-profile court cases. [26]

A related field, police psychology, involves consultation with police departments and participation in police training. [26]

Health and medicine

Health psychology concerns itself with understanding how biology, behavior, and social context influence health and illness. [28] Health psychologists generally work alongside other medical professionals in clinical settings, although many also teach and conduct research. Although its early beginnings can be traced to the kindred field of clinical psychology, four different approaches to health psychology have been defined: clinical, public health, community and critical health psychology. [29]

Health psychologists aim to change health behaviors for the dual purpose of helping people stay healthy and helping patients adhere to disease treatment regimens. The focus of health psychologists tend to center on the health crisis facing the western world particularly in the US. Cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior modification are techniques often employed by health psychologists. Psychologists also study patients' compliance with their doctors' orders. [30]

Health psychologists view a person's mental condition as heavily related to their physical condition. [31] An important concept in this field is stress, a mental phenomenon with well-known consequences for physical health. [30]

Occupational health psychology

Occupational health psychology (OHP) is a relatively new discipline that emerged from the confluence of health psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, and occupational health. [32] [33] [34] OHP has its own journals and professional organizations. The field is concerned with identifying psychosocial characteristics of workplaces that give rise to health-related problems in people who work. These problems can involve physical health (e.g., cardiovascular disease [35] ) or mental health (e.g., depression [36] ). Examples of psychosocial characteristics of workplaces that OHP has investigated include amount of decision latitude [37] a worker can exercise and the supportiveness of supervisors. [38] OHP is also concerned with the development and implementation of interventions that can prevent or ameliorate work-related health problems. [39] In addition, OHP research has important implications for the economic success of organizations. [40] Other research areas of concern to OHP include workplace incivility [41] and violence, [42] work-home carryover, [43] unemployment [44] and downsizing, [45] and workplace safety [46] and accident prevention. [47] Two important OHP journals are the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology and Work & Stress . Three important organizations closely associated with OHP are the International Commission on Occupational Health's Scientific Committee on Work Organisation and Psychosocial Factors (ICOH-WOPS), [48] the Society for Occupational Health Psychology, and the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology.

Human factors and ergonomics

Human factors and ergonomics is the study of how cognitive and psychological processes affect our interaction with tools, machines, and objects in the environment. Many branches of psychology attempt to create models of and understand human behavior. These models are usually based on data collected from experiments. Human Factor psychologists however, take the same data and use it to design or adapt processes and objects that will complement the human component of the equation. [49] Rather than humans learning how to use and manipulate a piece of technology, human factors strives to design technology to be inline with the human behavior models designed by general psychology. This could be accounting for physical limitations of humans, as in ergonomics, or designing systems, especially computer systems, that work intuitively with humans, as does engineering psychology.

Ergonomics is applied primarily through office work and the transportation industry. Psychologists here take into account the physical limitations of the human body and attempt to reduce fatigue and stress by designing products and systems that work within the natural limitations of the human body. From simple things like the size of buttons and design of office chairs to layout of airplane cockpits, human factor psychologists, specializing in ergonomics, attempt to de-stress our everyday lives and sometimes even save them.

Human factor psychologists specializing in engineering psychology tend to take on slightly different projects than their ergonomic centered counterparts. These psychologists look at how a human and a process interact. [50] Often engineering psychology may be centered on computers. However at the base level, a process is simply a series of inputs and outputs between a human and a machine. The human must have a clear method to input data and be able to easily access the information in output. The inability of rapid and accurate corrections can sometimes lead to drastic consequences, as summed up by many stories in Set Phasers on Stun. [51] The engineering psychologists wants to make the process of inputs and outputs as intuitive as possible for the user.

The goal of research in human factors is to understand the limitations and biases of human mental processes and behavior, and design items and systems that will interact accordingly with the limitations. Some may see human factors as intuitive or a list of dos and don'ts, but in reality, human factor research strives to make sense of large piles of data to bring precise applications to product designs and systems to help people work more naturally, intuitively with the items of their surroundings.

Industrial and organizational

Industrial and organizational psychology, or I-O psychology, focuses on the psychology of work. Relevant topics within I-O psychology include the psychology of recruitment, selecting employees from an applicant pool, training, performance appraisal, job satisfaction, work motivation. work behavior, occupational stress, accident prevention, occupational safety and health, management, retirement planning and unemployment among many other issues related to the workplace and people's work lives. In short, I-O psychology is the application of psychology to the workplace. One aspect of this field is job analysis, the detailed study of which behaviors a given job entails. [52]

Though the name of the title "Industrial Organizational Psychology" implies 2 split disciplines being chained together, it is near impossible to have one half without the other. If asked to generally define the differences, Industrial psychology focuses more on the Human Resources aspects of the field, and Organizational psychology focuses more on the personal interactions of the employees. When applying these principles however, they are not easily broken apart. For example, when developing requirements for a new job position, the recruiters are looking for an applicant with strong communication skills in multiple areas. The developing of the position requirements falls under the industrial psychology, human resource type work, and the requirement of communication skills is related to how the employee with interacts with co-workers. As seen here, it is hard to separate task of developing a qualifications list from the types of qualifications on the list. This is parallel to how the I and O are nearly inseparable in practice. Therefore, I-O psychologists are generally rounded in both industrial and organizational psychology though they will have some specialization. Other topics of interest for I-O psychologists include leadership, performance evaluation, training, and much more.

Military psychology includes research into the classification, training, and performance of soldiers. [9]

School

School psychology is a field that applies principles of clinical psychology and educational psychology to the diagnosis and treatment of students' behavioral and learning problems. School psychologists are educated in child and adolescent development, learning theories, psychological and psycho-educational assessment, personality theories, therapeutic interventions, special education, psychology, consultation, child and adolescent psychopathology, and the ethical, legal and administrative codes of their profession.

According to Division 16 (Division of School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA), school psychologists operate according to a scientific framework. [53] [54] They work to promote effectiveness and efficiency in the field. School psychologists conduct psychological assessments, provide brief interventions, and develop or help develop prevention programs. Additionally, they evaluate services with special focus on developmental processes of children within the school system, and other systems, such as families. School psychologists consult with teachers, parents, and school personnel about learning, behavioral, social, and emotional problems. They may teach lessons on parenting skills (like school counselors), learning strategies, and other skills related to school mental health. In addition, they explain test results to parents and students. They provide individual, group, and in some cases family counseling (State Board of Education 2003; National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, n.d.). School psychologists are actively involved in district and school crisis intervention teams. They also supervise graduate students in school psychology. School psychologists in many districts provide professional development to teachers and other school personnel on topics such as positive behavior intervention plans and achievement tests.

One salient application for school psychology in today's world is responding to the unique challenges of increasingly multicultural classrooms. For example, psychologists can contribute insight about the differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures. [55]

School psychologists are influential within the school system and are frequently consulted to solve problems. Practitioners should be able to provide consultation and collaborate with other members of the educational community and confidently make decisions based on empirical research.

Social change

Psychologists have been employed to promote "green" behavior, i.e. sustainable development. In this case, their goal is behavior modification, through strategies such as social marketing. Tactics include education, disseminating information, organizing social movements, passing laws, and altering taxes to influence decisions. [56]

Psychology has been applied on a world scale with the aim of population control. For example, one strategy towards television programming combines social models in a soap opera with informational messages during advertising time. This strategy successfully increased women's enrollment at family planning clinics in Mexico. [5] The programming—which has been deployed around the world by Population Communications International and the Population Media Center—combines family planning messages with representations of female education and literacy. [57]

Sport psychology

Sport psychology is a specialization within psychology that seeks to understand psychological/mental factors that affect performance in sports, physical activity and exercise and apply these to enhance individual and team performance. The sport psychology approach differs from the coaches and players perspective. [22] Coaches tend to narrow their focus and energy towards the end-goal. They are concerned with the actions that lead to the win, as opposed to the sport psychologist who tries to focus the players thoughts on just achieving the win. Sport psychology trains players mentally to prepare them, whereas coaches tend to focus mostly on physical training. Sport psychology deals with increasing performance by managing emotions and minimizing the psychological effects of injury and poor performance. Some of the most important skills taught are goal setting, relaxation, visualization, self-talk awareness and control, concentration, using rituals, attribution training, and periodization. The principles and theories may be applied to any human movement or performance tasks (e.g., playing a musical instrument, acting in a play, public speaking, motor skills). Usually, experts recommend that students be trained in both kinesiology (i.e., sport and exercise sciences, physical education) and counseling.

Traffic psychology

Traffic psychology is an applied discipline within psychology that looks at the relationship between psychological processes and cognitions and the actual behavior of road users. In general, traffic psychologists attempt to apply these principles and research findings, in order to provide solutions to problems such as traffic mobility and congestion, road accidents, speeding. Research psychologists also are involved with the education and the motivation of road users. [58] [59]

Additional areas

See also

Related Research Articles

Industrial and organizational psychology "focuses the lens of psychological science on a key aspect of human life, namely, their work lives. In general, the goals of I-O psychology are to better understand and optimize the effectiveness, health, and well-being of both individuals and organizations." It is an applied discipline within psychology and is an international profession. I-O psychology is also known as occupational psychology in the United Kingdom, organisational psychology in Australia and New Zealand, and work and organizational (WO) psychology throughout Europe and Brazil. Industrial, work, and organizational (IWO) psychology is the broader, more global term for the science and profession.

Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both conscious and unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feelings, and motives. Psychology is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between the natural and social sciences. Biological psychologists seek an understanding of the emergent properties of brains, linking the discipline to neuroscience. As social scientists, psychologists aim to understand the behavior of individuals and groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychologist</span> Professional who evaluates, diagnoses, treats and studies behavior and mental processes

A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how individuals relate to each other and to their environments.

Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of human mental functions and behavior. Occasionally, in addition or opposition to employing the scientific method, it also relies on symbolic interpretation and critical analysis, although these traditions have tended to be less pronounced than in other social sciences, such as sociology. Psychologists study phenomena such as perception, cognition, emotion, personality, behavior, and interpersonal relationships. Some, especially depth psychologists, also study the unconscious mind.

Forensic psychology is the practice of psychology applied to the law. Forensic psychology is the application of scientific knowledge and methods to help answer legal questions arising in criminal, civil, contractual, or other judicial proceedings. Forensic psychology includes research on various psychology-law topics, such as jury selection, reducing systemic racism in criminal law, eyewitness testimony, evaluating competency to stand trial, or assessing military veterans for service-connected disability compensation. The American Psychological Association's Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists reference several psychology subdisciplines, such as social, clinical, experimental, counseling, and neuropsychology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor of Psychology</span> Doctoral degree

The Doctor of Psychology is a professional doctoral degree intended to prepare graduates for careers that apply scientific knowledge of psychology and deliver empirically based service to individuals, groups and organizations. Earning the degree was originally completed through one of two established training models for clinical psychology. However, Psy.D. programs are no longer limited to Clinical Psychology as several universities and professional schools have begun to award professional doctorates in Business Psychology, Organizational Development, Forensic Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology.

Clinical psychology is an integration of human science, behavioral science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. Central to its practice are psychological assessment, clinical formulation, and psychotherapy, although clinical psychologists also engage in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration. In many countries, clinical psychology is a regulated mental health profession.

Criminal psychology, also referred to as criminological psychology, is the study of the views, thoughts, intentions, actions and reactions of criminals and suspects. It is a subfield of criminology and applied psychology.

Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioral processes in health, illness, and healthcare. The discipline is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness. Psychological factors can affect health directly. For example, chronically occurring environmental stressors affecting the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, cumulatively, can harm health. Behavioral factors can also affect a person's health. For example, certain behaviors can, over time, harm or enhance health. Health psychologists take a biopsychosocial approach. In other words, health psychologists understand health to be the product not only of biological processes but also of psychological, behavioral, and social processes.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to psychology:

A mental health professional is a health care practitioner or social and human services provider who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental disorders. This broad category was developed as a name for community personnel who worked in the new community mental health agencies begun in the 1970s to assist individuals moving from state hospitals, to prevent admissions, and to provide support in homes, jobs, education, and community. These individuals were the forefront brigade to develop the community programs, which today may be referred to by names such as supported housing, psychiatric rehabilitation, supported or transitional employment, sheltered workshops, supported education, daily living skills, affirmative industries, dual diagnosis treatment, individual and family psychoeducation, adult day care, foster care, family services and mental health counseling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military psychology</span> Specialized field in psychological science

Military psychology is a specialization within psychology that applies psychological science to promote the readiness of military members, organizations, and operations. Military psychologists provide support to the military in many ways, including through direct clinical care, consultation to military commanders, teaching others and supporting military training, and through research relevant to military operations and personnel. Military psychology as a field has been growing since the early 20th century, evidence that the demands and needs for psychological clinical and operational application is continuing to grow steadily. There are many stressors associated with military service, including exposure to high-risk training and combat. As such, psychologists are critical support components that assist military leaders in designing appropriate training programs, providing oversight to those programs, and assisting military members as they navigate the challenges of military training and their new lifestyle. Military psychology covers a wide range of fields throughout the military including operational, tactical, and occupational psychology. Gender differences between military-trained personnel who seek mental health assistance have been extensively studied. Specific examples include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with combat, or guilt and family/partner difficulties accompanying extended or frequent deployments due to separation. Clinical providers in military psychology are often focused on the treatment of stress, fatigue, and other personal readiness issues. Previous wars such as the Korean war, Vietnam war, and WW 2 provide great insight to the workings and practices of military psychology and how the practices have changed and assisted the military over the years.

Occupational health psychology (OHP) is an interdisciplinary area of psychology that is concerned with the health and safety of workers. OHP addresses a number of major topic areas including the impact of occupational stressors on physical and mental health, the impact of involuntary unemployment on physical and mental health, work-family balance, workplace violence and other forms of mistreatment, psychosocial workplace factors that affect accident risk and safety, and interventions designed to improve and/or protect worker health. Although OHP emerged from two distinct disciplines within applied psychology, namely, health psychology and industrial and organizational psychology, for a long time the psychology establishment, including leaders of industrial/organizational psychology, rarely dealt with occupational stress and employee health, creating a need for the emergence of OHP. OHP has also been informed by other disciplines, including occupational medicine, sociology, industrial engineering, and economics, as well as preventive medicine and public health. OHP is thus concerned with the relationship of psychosocial workplace factors to the development, maintenance, and promotion of workers' health and that of their families. The World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization estimate that exposure to long working hours causes an estimated 745,000 workers to die from ischemic heart disease and stroke in 2016, mediated by occupational stress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupational burnout</span> Type of occupational stress

The ICD-11 of the World Health Organization (WHO) describes occupational burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn't been successfully managed, with symptoms characterized by "feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy." It is classified as a mismatch between the challenges of work and a person's mental and physical resources, but is not recognized by the WHO as a medical condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupational stress</span> Tensions related to work

Occupational stress is psychological stress related to one's job. Occupational stress refers to a chronic condition. Occupational stress can be managed by understanding what the stressful conditions at work are and taking steps to remediate those conditions. Occupational stress can occur when workers do not feel supported by supervisors or coworkers, feel as if they have little control over the work they perform, or find that their efforts on the job are incommensurate with the job's rewards. Occupational stress is a concern for both employees and employers because stressful job conditions are related to employees' emotional well-being, physical health, and job performance. The World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization conducted a study. The results showed that exposure to long working hours, operates through increased psycho-social occupational stress. It is the occupational risk factor with the largest attributable burden of disease, according to these official estimates causing an estimated 745,000 workers to die from ischemic heart disease and stroke events in 2016.

Sport psychology was defined by the European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC) in 1996, as the study of the psychological basis, processes, and effects of sport. Otherwise, sport is considered as any physical activity where the individuals engage for competition and health. Sport psychology is recognized as an interdisciplinary science that draws on knowledge from many related fields including biomechanics, physiology, kinesiology and psychology. It involves the study of how psychological factors affect performance and how participation in sport and exercise affect psychological and physical factors. Sport psychologists teach cognitive and behavioral strategies to athletes in order to improve their experience and performance in sports.

Psychology encompasses a vast domain, and includes many different approaches to the study of mental processes and behavior. Below are the major areas of inquiry that taken together constitute psychology. A comprehensive list of the sub-fields and areas within psychology can be found at the list of psychology topics and list of psychology disciplines.

Rehabilitation psychology is a specialty area of psychology aimed at maximizing the independence, functional status, health, and social participation of individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Assessment and treatment may include the following areas: psychosocial, cognitive, behavioral, and functional status, self-esteem, coping skills, and quality of life. As the conditions experienced by patients vary widely, rehabilitation psychologists offer individualized treatment approaches. The discipline takes a holistic approach, considering individuals within their broader social context and assessing environmental and demographic factors that may facilitate or impede functioning. This approach, integrating both personal and environmental factors, is consistent with the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

References

  1. Moskowitz, Merle J. (1977). "Hugo Münsterberg: A study in the history of applied psychology". American Psychologist. 32 (10): 824–842. doi:10.1037/0003-066x.32.10.824. ISSN   0003-066X.
  2. Cina, "Social Science For Whom?" (1981), pp. 186–187.
  3. Anastasi, Fields of Applied Psychology (1979), p. 19.
  4. 1 2 Stewart I. Donaldson & Dale E. Berger, "The Rise and Promise of Applied Psychology in the 21st Century", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  5. 1 2 Philip G. Zimbardo, "Does Psychology Make a Significant Difference in Our Lives?", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  6. Steffgen, Georges; Michaux, Gilles (2006-01-01). "Psychology in Luxembourg". European Psychologist. 11 (2): 149–152. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.11.2.149. ISSN   1016-9040.
  7. Darley, John G.; Berdie, Ralph (1940). "The fields of applied psychology. A report to the Committee on Professional Employment of the American Association for Applied Psychology". Journal of Consulting Psychology. 4 (2): 41–52. doi:10.1037/h0058622. ISSN   0095-8891.
  8. Spielberger, Charles Donald. Encyclopedia of applied psychology. ISBN   978-1-84972-341-1. OCLC   941857385.
  9. 1 2 3 Kathy Pezdek, Kenneth A. Deffenbacher, Shirley Lam, & Robert R. Hoffman, "Cognitive Psychology: Applications and Careers", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  10. Psychology and Life.
  11. Furnham, Adrian (March 2019). "Advertising: The contribution of applied cognitive psychology". Applied Cognitive Psychology. 33 (2): 168–175. doi:10.1002/acp.3458. hdl: 11250/2723854 . S2CID   150061153.
  12. Gelso, C.J., & Fretz, B. (2001). Counseling Psychology, (2nd ed.): Brooks Cole.
  13. "What is Counseling Psychology - Society of Counseling Psychology, Division 17". www.div17.org. Archived from the original on 2014-04-19.
  14. Nutt, Roberta L. (2003-01-01). "Treasurer's Report: Division of Counseling Psychology—2002 Budget". The Counseling Psychologist. 31 (1): 151–152. doi:10.1177/001100002003031001014. ISSN   0000-0000.
  15. Moore, B. & Muse, M. (2012). Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Psychologists. Wiley.
  16. American Psychological Association, Division 12, "About Clinical Psychology Archived 2015-10-19 at the Wayback Machine "
  17. 1 2 Brain, Christine. (2002). Advanced psychology: applications, issues and perspectives. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. ISBN   0-17-490058-9
  18. Leichsenring, Falk; Leibing, Eric (2003). "The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of personality disorders: A meta-analysis". The American Journal of Psychiatry. 160 (7): 1223–1233. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.160.7.1223. PMID   12832233.
  19. Reisner, Andrew (2005). "The common factors, empirically validated treatments, and recovery models of therapeutic change". The Psychological Record. 55 (3): 377–400. doi:10.1007/BF03395517. S2CID   142840311. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
  20. Klusman, Lawrence (2001). "Prescribing Psychologists and Patients' Medical Needs; Lessons From Clinical Psychiatry". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 32 (5): 496–500. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.32.5.496.
  21. Anderson, C. A. (1989). "Temperature and aggression: Ubiquitous effects of heat on occurrence of human violence". Psychological Bulletin. 106 (1): 74–96. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.106.1.74. PMID   2667010. S2CID   701313.
  22. 1 2 Ravizza, K. (2006). Increasing awareness for sport performance. In J. M. Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology (pp. 228–239). New York: McGraw-Hill.
  23. Weinstein, C. S. (1979). "The physical environment of the school: A review of the research". Review of Educational Research. 49 (4): 577–610. doi:10.3102/00346543049004577. S2CID   145222343.
  24. Huss, M. T. (2001). "What is forensic psychology? It's not Silence of the Lambs!". Eye on Psi Chi. 5 (3): 25–27. doi:10.24839/1092-0803.Eye5.3.25.
  25. Ackerman, M. J.; Ackerman, M. C. (1997). "Custody evaluation practices: A survey of experienced professionals (revisited)". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 28 (2): 137–145. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.28.2.137.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Deborah Davis & Elizabeth F. Loftus, "Psychologists in the Forensic World", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  27. Ogloff, J. R., and Finkelman, D. (1999). Psychology and law: An overview. In R. Roesch, ed., S. D. Hart, ed., & J. R. P. Ogloff (Eds.), Psychology and law: The state of the discipline (pp. 1–20). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.
  28. APA, Division 38. What a Health Psychologist Does and How to Become One Archived July 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 03-04-2007.
  29. Marks, D.F., Murray, M. et al. (2005). "Health Psychology: Theory, Research & Practice." London, England: Sage Publications. ISBN   1-4129-0336-X
  30. 1 2 Howard S. Friedman, "Applying Psychology to Promote Health", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  31. Friedman, H. S., ed., & Silver, R. C. (Eds.). (2007). Foundations of health psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
  32. Everly, G.S., Jr. (1986). An introduction to occupational health psychology. In P.A. Keller & L.G. Ritt (Eds.), Innovations in clinical practice: A source book, Vol. 5 (pp. 331–338). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Exchange.
  33. Schonfeld, I.S., & Chang, C.-H. (2017). Occupational health psychology: Work, stress, and health. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
  34. Houdmont, J., & Leka, S. (2010). An introduction to occupational health psychology. In S. Leka & J. Houdmont (Eds.). Occupational health psychology (pp. 1–30). John Wiley: Hoboken, NJ.
  35. Bosma, H.; Marmot, M.G.; Hemingway, H.; Nicholson, A.C.; Brunner, E.; Stansfeld, S.A. (1997). "Low job control and risk of coronary heart disease in Whitehall II (prospective cohort) study". British Medical Journal. 314 (7080): 558–565. doi:10.1136/bmj.314.7080.558. PMC   2126031 . PMID   9055714.
  36. Tucker, J.S.; Sinclair, R.R.; Thomas, J.L. (2005). "The multilevel effects of occupational stressors on soldiers' well-being: Organizational attachment, and readiness". Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. 10 (3): 276–299. doi:10.1037/1076-8998.10.3.276. PMID   16060730.
  37. Karasek, R.A. (1979). "Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: Implications for job redesign". Administrative Science Quarterly. 24 (2): 285–307. doi:10.2307/2392498. JSTOR   2392498.
  38. Moyle, P (1998). "Longitudinal influences of managerial support on employee well-being". Work & Stress. 12: 29–49. doi:10.1080/02678379808256847.
  39. Schmitt, L. (2007). OHP interventions: Wellness programs. Newsletter of the Society for Occupational Health Psychology, 1, 4–5.
  40. Adkins, J.A. (1999). "Promoting organizational health: The evolving practice of occupational health psychology". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 30 (2): 129–137. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.30.2.129.
  41. Cortina, L.M.; Magley, V.J.; Williams, J.H.; Langhout, R.D. (2001). "Incivility in the workplace: Incidence and impact". Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. 6 (1): 64–80. doi:10.1037/1076-8998.6.1.64. PMID   11199258.
  42. Kelloway, E.K., Barling, J., & Hurrell, J.J. (Eds). Handbook of workplace violence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
  43. Haines, V.Y. III; Marchand, A.; Harvey, S. (2006). "Crossover of workplace aggression experiences in dual-earner couples". Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. 11 (4): 305–314. doi:10.1037/1076-8998.11.4.305. PMID   17059295.
  44. Feldt, T.; Leskinen, E.; Kinnunen, U. (2005). "Structural invariance and stability of sense of coherence: A longitudinal analysis of two groups with different employment experiences". Work & Stress. 19: 68–83. doi:10.1080/02678370500084441. S2CID   145174870.
  45. Moore, S.; Grunberg, L.; Greenberg, E. (2004). "Repeated downsizing contact: The effects of similar and dissimilar layoff experiences on work and well-being outcomes". Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. 9 (3): 247–257. doi:10.1037/1076-8998.9.3.247. PMID   15279519. S2CID   1481437.
  46. Kidd, P.; Scharf, T.; Veazie, M. (1996). "Linking stress and injury in the farming environment: A secondary analysis". Health Education Quarterly. 23 (2): 224–237. doi:10.1177/109019819602300207. PMID   8744874. S2CID   33123099.
  47. Williamson, A.M.; Feyer, A.-M. (1995). "Causes of accidents and the time of day". Work & Stress. 9 (2–3): 158–164. doi:10.1080/02678379508256550.
  48. International Commission on Occupational Health-Work Organisation and Psychosocial Factors "Scientific committee detail - ICOH". Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  49. Meister, D. (1999). The history of human factors and ergonomics. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  50. Roscoe, S. N. (1997). The adolescence of engineering psychology. In S. M. Casey (Series Ed.), Human factors history monograph series (Vol. 1). Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
  51. Casey, S.M. (1998). Set Phasers on Stun: And Other True Tales of Design, Technology, and Human Error
  52. Anastasi, Fields of Applied Psychology (1979), pp. 23–27.
  53. Tilly, W. D. (2008). The evolution of school psychology to science-based practice: Problem solving and the three-tiered model. Best practices in school psychology V, 1, 17.
  54. Bradley-Johnson, S. and Dean, V.J. (2000), Role change for school psychology: The challenge continues in the new millennium. Psychol. Schs., 37: 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6807(200001)37:1<1::AID-PITS1>3.0.CO;2-Q
  55. Patricia M. Greenfield, "Applying Developmental Psychology to Bridge Cultures in the Classroom", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  56. Stuart Oskamp & P. Wesley Schultz, "Using Psychological Science to Achieve Ecological Sustainability", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  57. Albert Bandura, "Going Global With Social Cognitive Theory: From Prospect to Paydirt", in Donaldson, Berger, & Pezdek (eds.), Applied Psychology (2006).
  58. Rothengatter, T. (1997). "Psychological aspects of road user behavior". Applied Psychology: An International Review. 46 (3): 223–234. doi:10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01227.x.
  59. Goldenbeld, C.; Levelt, P.B.M.; Heidstra, J. (2000). "Psychological perspectives on changing driver attitude and behaviour". Recherche-Transports-Securite. 67: 65–81. doi:10.1016/s0761-8980(00)90108-0.

Sources

Bibliography